Full-fashioned hosiery



July 11, 1950 c. RICHTER FULL-FASHIONED HOSIERY 44 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 14, 1942 RETAI RETAINED SOLE INSTEP TOE RIGHT Low HEEL RIGHT HIGH HEEL SOLE INSTEP Low HEEL HIGH HEEL BY I LEG Z 5 mums July 11, 1950 c, RlCHTER 2,514,456

FULL-FASHIONED HOSIERY Original Filed March 14, 1942 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y QF- w MTORNEYS NVZNTOR M RETAINED RETAINED RETAINED AFTER 2N0 CARRIER STROKE RETAINED AFTER 1ST CAKE/ER STROKE Patented July 11, 1950 2,514,456 FULL-FASHIONED nosmnv Carl Richter, Neshaminy, Pa.

Original application March 14, 1942, Serial N 0. 434,689. Divided and this application February 26, 1946, Serial No. 650,267

1 Claim.

Generally stated, the invention is concerned with improvement in the uniformity of knitting, particularly at the line of junction between the leg and foot portions at the instep; and provision for automatic continuous knitting through the turn of the heel, with the starting edges of the sole parts directly knitted to the inner edges of the low heel parts, therebyeliminating certain operations and handling heretofore required. Thus, the invention eliminates the necessity for employing a separate footer machine, or the toppin or looping operations heretofore required to join the sole and low heel parts of stocking blanks produced on single unit machines.

The inventio eliminates the relatively bulky seams heretofore formed in the stocking where sewing or looping was employed, subsequent to the knitting, to join the sole and low heel parts.

The sequence of knitting operations employed in accordance with the present invention may bebriefiy outlined as follows:

The knitting, as is customary, begins at the welt and continues through the leg or boot portion, toward the lower end of which the common high spliced heel parts are also knitted, one adlacent each side of the blank.

At the transverse junction line between the leg and foot portions at the instep (in the intermediate portion of the blank), and between the high and low heel parts (at the sides of the blank), the present invention provides continuation of knitting, as follows:

First, the leg loops at the instep (from which the foot portionis subsequently knitted) are re- 'tained on their respective needles, and while so retained a multiplicity of courses are knitted with separate thread in each of the two low heel parts, as continuations of the high heel parts.

During this knitting of the low heel parts, the

loops of the low heel parts are transferred outtransference of the low heel loops is effected by means of narrowing fingers, which transfer theloops outwardly at each side, in a manner generally similar to a widening operation. After each stroke of the thread carriers, each low heel loop is moved outwardly to the next adjacent needle, thereby providing a, blank needle at the inner edge of each low heel part. The traverse of the thread carriers is arranged so that on the next stroke thereof a loop is laid on the blank needles, these operations being repeated throughout the formation of the several courses of the low heel parts.

As a result of the foregoing, loops are progressively introduced at each side of the leg loops (which are being retained on their needles), to which newly added loops the sole parts are directly knitted, following completion of the'low heel parts. Thus, the sole parts are directly knitted to the marginal wale or terminal loops of the low heel parts, thereby eliminating the ridge heretofore commonly formed at the junction of the low heel parts and sole.

In contrast with the foregoing, the practices of the prior art resulted in the production of ridges at the junction of the low heel parts and the sole. For instance, in machines where the low heel loops were topped back onto needles at the sides of the instep loops, that topping operation was ordinarily effected at the line of the second or third wale of stitches, because of the impossibility of spreading the stitches (to form a loose wale) at the marginal wale. On the other hand, a similar ridge was heretofore formed in cases where the low heel loops were topped onto a looping machine, for the purpose of joining the low heel parts with the sole.

During continuance of knitting through the foot parts, a thread carrier traverses not only the insteploops, but also the loops introduced at the sides of the sole loops (these added loops, in effect, constituting sole loops). Second or reenforcing thread carriers for eachsole part operate in the side portions of the blank.

In contrast with certain prior types of knitting, the present invention eliminates the necessity for topping the instep loops at the line of junction between the high-and low heel parts, this being of considerable importance for a number of reasons, including improvement of uniformity of knitting at the junction of the leg portion and the instep portion. An objectionable visible line or markin was frequently produced heretofore where the instep loops were topped and then the blank placed in a separate footer.

As compared with prior practice, the present (zr-m) representing the turn of the heel at which, in accordance with the present invention, the knitting effects introduction of new loops between the low heel parts and the instep, which new loops (at each side) constitute the inner marginal wale of the low heel .parts, the reenforcecl sole parts being subsequently directly knitted to this marginal wale. The manner in which the newly added loops are introduced is illustrated quired. At the same time, the invention produces a stocking of the conventional full fashioned type, which is generally regardedas the most desirable and highest quality. H

How the foregoing and other objects and ad'- vantages are attained will be clear from the following description "referring to the accomr-panyingdrawings, in which- 4 1 Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan diagram or ou line view of a full fashioned stocking blank in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a stitch diagram, on an enlarged ,scale, of portions of a stocking blank adjacent the turn of the heel, this diagram illustrating the I right-hand side only; and

Figures 3 to 10 inclusive are enlarged views of the stitching in the right low heel portion of the blank, illustrating the manner in which loops are introduced between the instep and right low heel.

Before considering the drawings in detail, it is first, pointed out that Figures 1 to 10 inclusive are presented for purposes of illustration of the manner in which the improved knitting herein contemplated is effected, it being understood that "certain variations may be adopted while still retaining the essentials of the invention.

In considering the stocking blank, as shown in Figure 1, it is noted that the knitting commences with the welt (not shown) and continues through the leg, high spliced heel parts, low heel parts, instep and sole parts, and the toe. Because of the shaping of the stocking blank to fit the heel of the wearer, the blank is not completely flat,

and in view of this, in Figure 1, portions of the blank adjacent the turn of the heel are illustrated as being furled. The line aca: applied to Figure 1 indicatesthe general region of which the righthand portion is shown greatly enlarged in Figure 2.

In Figure 2, the diagonal break is located in the region of the junction between the high and low heel parts at the right side of the blank. It

may also be mentioned that the diagram is not intended to indicate any exact number of courses of stitches knittedin the heel parts, since this may be varied according to the fineness of the knitting, size of the stocking being made, etc.

As above indicated, the knitting commences with the welt and continues down through the leg or boot portion, with the usual variations in width of the blank to fit the leg contour. At the time, the loops at the junction of the leg and iii-- step parts are retained on their needles until completion of the low heel parts. It is at the line that small'portion of the stocking being knitted in Figures 3 to 10. Thus, Figures 3 to 10 are con- "cerned with the knitting of the right low heel,

beginning at the turn of the heel (line :c-zc) Figure 3 indicates the condition at the right heel, at the conclusion of the knitting of the right high heel part. (Note that two threads are here shown, since this portion of the stocking is reenforced.) The first step in making the turn of the heel and in commencing the knitting of the right low heel is represented by Figure 4, indicating the transference of a group al of low heel loops outwardly (to the right) to the next needle. This transference is effected by a manipulation known per se in this art, leaving a blank needle nl for the introduction of a new loop intermediate the low heel loops and the leg loops which are being retained on their needles.

The thread carrier now moves to the left and the machine is actuated to knit another course of stitches, as is illustrated in Figure 5. At this time the instep loops and two of the inner heel loops are retained on their needles, as is indicated by the bracket in Figure 5. The thread carriers are then caused to move outwardly a distance of two needles, and simultaneously the group of stitches a2 is transferred outwardly as shown in Figure 6, leaving another blank needle 112. The outward movement of the carriers just mentioned takes place while the sinkers hold the thread in back of the plane of the needles (which are at that time at the bottom of their stroke). The thread, therefore, is properly positioned to lay a new loop on the new blank needle (n2) when the next following thread carrier stroke occurs.

The stroke of the carriers just mentioned has been completed in Figure 7, which illustrates a new course of stitches in the low heel part. After this carrier stroke, two additional loops are retained on their needles, as is indicated by the bracket in Figure '7.

Proceeding to Figure 8, it will be seen that a group'of stitches a3 has again been transferred outwardly to leave a blank needle n3 on which a loop is laid after the next inward stroke of the carriers, as is illustrated in Figure 9. Outward move- 7 scribed above.

' ficiently to provide the desired number of courses in the low heel parts. At the lower end of each low heel part the knitting is preferably continued to provide a few raveling courses by means of which the two lowheel parts may be looped or sewed together, in accordance with known practice.

It will be observed in connection with theforegoing that a progressively increasing number of loops are retained on their needles adjacent each side of the instep, these retained loops, in effect, constituting the marginal wale of the low heel part. In continuance of knitting, i. e., in knitting the foot, the reenforced sole parts are knitted directly from these added or interposed loops. In knitting the instep and sole parts, the instep and adjacent newly added loops are no longer retained on their needles, so that the knitting thereafter progresses in a manner similar to known practice, where low heel loops are topped and then returned to needles adjacent to the instep needles.

While the full description above of Figures 3 to 10 inclusive referred only to the knitting of the right low heel part, it may be mentioned that a generally similar but inverted series of steps takes place in the formation of the left low heel part.

In connection with the foregoing described method of knitting at the turn of the heel, it is mentioned that on the inward strokes of the thread carriers, at both sides of the blank, it is important that the carriers move at least one,-

needle beyond the blank needle (note Figures 5 and 9). It is also of importance, on the subsequent widening, that the carriers move outwardly at least two needles, so as to position the thread to form a loop on the newly provided blank needle (see Figures 6 and 10).

Equipment for effecting the foregoing knitting may be of relatively simple construction, readily adaptable to existing knitting machines of various types. A preferred form of equipment for this purpose is illustrated in my application above id n fied a being pp d t m c ne of h Wildman type. For various conventional details of such a machine, reference may be made, for example, to Patents 1,986,577, 2,036,143, 2,076,127 and 2,170,278.

I claim:

A single unit full fashioned stocking blank having low heel parts each knit of separate thread and sole parts at opposite sides of the blank each of which is directly knitted to the terminal loops along the adjacent edge of the low heel part at that side, with the wales of the sole parts extended transverse to the wales of said low heel parts, and with a sole wale knitted to each of consecutive terminal loops at least throughout the major portion of the length of the junction line between each low heel part and sole part.

CARL RICHTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,032,476 Gastrich Mar. 3, 1936 2,120,522 Lambach June 14, 1938 2,250,257 Eissner et a1 July 22, 1941 2,254,244 Roder Sept. 2, 1941 2,259,974 Haehnel Oct. 21, 1941 2,273,972 Ohlinger Feb. 17, 1942 2,319,771 Beers May 18, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 152, 0 Ge m ny Oc 1901 

